Yan Yan

Lisa, a former co-worker and fellow blogger, mentioned some months back that I should try Yan Yan (actually, she wanted me to get the Hello Kitty equivalent). It’s like do it yourself Pocky! Well, in theory, anyway.

The little tub is pretty cute and they’ve thought of everything here. You start with a plain cookie stick. It’s not flavored, just a light, crunchy stick like a digestive biscuit. About one third of the little tube is a reservoir of chocolate dip. I thought it would be like frosting.

It’s not quite frosting.

In fact, it took me about a day to figure out what it was. Then I remembered this article I read last summer. It reminded me of American cheese. A soft, super-emulsified chocolate cheese spread.

You remember those little cheese and cracker snacks, where you spread the cheese with a plastic stick? This is just like that, only with a chocolate cheese. I suppose the idea of chocolate cheese shouldn’t be that odd. We make a lot of desserts with cheese, like cheesecake or even cream cheese frosting. Using cheese as a base makes it super creamy and thick. It could be more chocolatey and there is a slight cheesy tang to it. It’s a very firm frosting too, with no hint of grainy bits like in some frosting candies.

I kind of wondered if the sticks are sold in English in Asia and if they are, are they used for learning conversational English. Maybe you go to a first year English class and they engage you in a nice little talk about moles that happen to be in holes and that horses gallop away? They’re like crib notes for small chat!

While I think the idea is pretty cool, this is obviously a very popular treat in Asia, and I liked the biscuit sticks, I didn’t really like the dip. I’ll eat the rest of the sticks, though. The nutrition label says that there’s 1 gram of trans fat in here ... I’m hoping it’s not in the sticks. The label also mentions that this product contains no pig fat.

On a side note, I got an email from a reader, Chris, last week asking about a similar frosting-type treat that was available in the States (and may still be). He described it as this “It came in a small blue plastic container with a foil top and inside was the mixture with a small spoon or stick to scoop out the yummy stuff.” Does anyone remember this?

Yes, I remember those blue (purple?) plastic and foil containers. I think they were kangaroo shaped graham-type crackers, or named after the kangaroo. Did a quick Google search for “kangaroo” and “snack” and “chocolate” and “discontinued,” but came up with nothing relevant. They used to be in the kids snacks section in grocery stores, and I’m betting they were made by Kraft, the makers of Handi-Snacks cheese and crackers. I haven’t seen them recently, so I bet they don’t make them anymore.

Mmm…I loved Dunkaroos. About ten years or so ago I used to pick up a couple kids after school and watch them and their kitchen was stuffed with snacky things, including Dunkaroos, which I got hooked on.

Just FYI because you seemed to be wondering in your comments…Asians often use English on products and are indifferent to understanding it. It’s used for decoration because they like the way the letters look and think it’s cute. It’s in no way related to learning English. In fact, more often than not, the English that is used is very wrong (for examples, check out http://www.engrish.com).

Also, the “do it yourself” Pocky sticks aren’t really all that popular. It’s just a temporary food fad product.

Be glad you didn’t eat the Hello Kitty equiv of Yan Yan. It stinks! I had it once and unfortunately it’s in a plastic container which smelled of old rubber tires. So that aroma really turned me off but I still tried the cookies and chocolate in it… to find they all reeked tastewise of rubbery plastic aftertaste. YUCK!

Yan Yan atleast is in that paper foil package so it doesn’t give off a nasty side taste to the candy / dip.

hm, i always assumed the cheese was in the sticks. if i can recall correctly, i did taste tests between the different flavours you could get of yanyan and noticed the cheesy flavour that was in one, and not another. i really didn’t think it’s the choco dip that has the cheese, but rather the sticks. all the ingredients were glopped together, but there’s obviously no yeast in the dip, or chocolate in the sticks. at least not for the yellowish ones.

hey i really love these—i’m from asia and i used to eat them by the boxful and even save up for them. there’s also a strawberry flavored version of yan yan and a new version where the yan yans come out in little square biscuits. meiji also makes hello panda. they’re little panda cookies with chocolate inside (or strawberry or milk, it comes in different flavors)

Hi. I was wondering if you have any idea of why there is a golden egg stick and a golden log stick? I am wondering because I got one in a pack I got at the gas station and wated to know if their was anything to these specialy marked sticks

When i was young, my mother buy me this EVERY SINGLE day, so I stop doing stupid things. I don’t remember the name, but the new one includes a orange or lemon juice, wich means you can enjoy three times.

I love Yan-Yan, it’s a great snack and the little animals on it are so cute!
I thought it was funny seeing that the squirrel one said: “Your Best Friend” because my totem animal (I’m Native American) is the squirrel.

I bought a package of Yan Yan and was sorely disappointed. The sticks on the package seem so different than the ones inside. I also hate to think of anyone trying to learn English from them because I just pulled a Whale stick out of my package and it says “Biggesy Mammal”. However I did try Pucca and they are pretty good. My favorite candy remains to be Pocky though. The only problem is that one package of Pocky costs over 3 dollars at the local grocery store.

I can confirm that the cheese is definitely in the biscuits. On the old (early 90s) packets the sticks were called ‘cheese flavoured’ and the ingredients for the sauce and biscuits were seperate. As the taste hasn’t changed - only the packaging, I can say with 99.99% surety that the cheese is in the biscuits.

I got the golden egg on my first cup and was wondering if that means good luck? Thats what i have been told! but i thought the fact that i got the whale, the cow, and the chiken was adorable! They didnt spell moo right they spelled it “muuuuu” and they put “Whale BiggseY Mammal” i thought it was adorable! The chiken one said kokekokko!

As an Asian who grew up eating these, I was really disappointed to buy a tube at the local Asian grocery only to discover my adult self doesn’t love the frosting. I don’t remember the lettering on the biscuit pieces when I was a kid either (maybe this is new?). But in any case, yours and mine were manufactured in Singapore, where I was born - and most of the population does speak English there, so the wording isn’t meant to help you learn English. I think it’s just supposed to be cute.

i real love your products is the best thing in the hold world i every had i real wish and hope and pray that you can please home mail me some coupons or samples please sorry hun but i don’t have any printer i real wish i did have one but i don’t :( sorry i don’t live ware libraries is i live in Boondock and i don’t know anybody and i don’t have a car :(i love your product is the best in the world i every had can you please home mail me some coupons or samples please sorry hun but i don’t have any printer i real wish i did have one but i don’t :( sorry i don’t live ware libraries is i live in Boondock and i don’t know anybody and i don’t have a car :(

Candyology 101 - Episode 35 - Whatchamacallit
In the latest Candyology 101 podcast, Maria and I tackled a little-celebrated candy bar, the Whatchamacallit. We’re also trying out a new format, which is a little shorter, like a handful of fun size candy bars! (more)

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